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| President Vo Van Thuong (first, right) shakes hands with a veteran writer at the first conference of Vietnamese veteran writers in Hai Phong on September 30 (Photo: VNA) |
Organised by the Vietnam Writers' Association (VWA), the event brought together around 300 writers and poets, most of whom are over 70 years old. Many of them have been awarded the Ho Chi Minh Prize, the State Prize for literature and arts, annual awards of the association and other prestigious awards.
The President affirmed that the Party and State always attach importance to the role and position of arts and culture in general and literature in particular in the national liberation cause, construction and defence.
He stressed that artists and writers always play a central and decisive role in creating noble spiritual values for society, adding that generations of Vietnamese writers, especially veteran writers, have created many timeless works.
President Thuong expressed his joy to meet the veteran writers, and at the same time paid tribute to deceased writers, especially those who sacrificed their lives in the great resistance wars for independence, freedom and national unity.
Thuong underlined the importance of culture in general and literature in particular to the existence and development of a nation, affirming that literature is one of the extremely important elements that make up the beauty of the Vietnamese culture, spread that beauty in life, and awake the love and responsibility of each Vietnamese person to their fatherland.
Therefore, the mission and responsibility of Vietnamese writers at this time are even greater and more demanding, he said.
The President expressed the hope that, through their experience, veteran writers will continue to support, inspire and encourage young writers.
He affirmed that the State will continue to create the best conditions for writers to create, as well as publish and honour valuable literary works that contribute to the cause of national construction and defence./.